Cops: Gunbattle ends 14-hour standoff in Nebraska pharmacy

ALLIANCE, Neb. -- A 14-hour standoff with a gunman at a pharmacy ended with the suspect's death, the Nebraska State Patrol said early Wednesday.

The dead suspect was identifed by police as 27-year-old Andres Gonzales, of Alliance.

A police statement did not say how Gonzales died. However, the death was confirmed following a gunbattle inside the pharmacy with Nebraska State Patrol SWAT team members. None of the SWAT officers was injured.

Nebraska State Patrol Lt. Lance Rogers said earlier that the gunman was wanted in connection with the shooting and wounding of two city police officers and a state patrol officer. None of their injuries is life-threatening.

The gunman also held a hostage for hours Tuesday in a western Nebraska drugstore. The hostage, identified Wednesday by Collins as pharmacy owner Charles Lierk, 62, of Alliance. Lierk managed to escape but was shot while getting away, Collins said. Lierk was taken to a local hospital where he was in stable condition, she said.

The standoff prompted police to close off several blocks of downtown Alliance throughout the day. Much of downtown remained blocked early Wednesday morning.

Ray Hielscher told the Lincoln Journal Star that he was watching the pharmacy from a Radio Shack across the street and saw the hostage run out about 5:30 p.m. local time (8:30 p.m. ET). Hielscher said he heard shots as the hostage ran out the front door and made it to safety to nearby police.

Earlier in the day, Dixie Nelson, director of the Alliance Chamber of Commerce, said she looked out the window of her organization's offices across the street from the pharmacy after an employee heard a gunshot.

"We had just come out of a staff meeting," Nelson said. "Our administrative assistant was walking up to the front, and she heard the shot."

Nelson said she saw a wounded police officer, who was shot in an arm while standing outside the pharmacy. It appeared the shot was fired through the glass on the store's door or window.

"He was shot in the arm. I could see. Either his upper forearm or bicep area," Nelson said.

Alliance is in the Nebraska Panhandle, about 370 miles west Omaha and 190 miles from Denver.